How Do FreePrints Make Money: The Business Model Explained
Are you wondering how a company can give away free photo prints and still stay in business? We’ve been asking ourselves the same question about the FreePrints app. In this post, we’re going to show you everything about how FreePrints make money while still giving away those lovely free photos.
Key Takeaways
- FreePrints Business Model: Learn how the freemium model works and why shipping fees are the key to how FreePrints make their money
- Premium Services: Discover the additional offerings beyond basic free prints that help the company turn a profit
- Customer Value: Find out how FreePrints balances free offerings with paid options to keep both users and the company happy
What Is FreePrints?
FreePrints is a popular mobile app that offers users up to 45 free photos every month. The company behind it, PhotoAffections, has a simple promise: you can get your digital images printed in physical form without paying for the actual prints. But this naturally leads to the question: how do FreePrints make money?
The app is available on both Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store, making it easy for anyone with a smartphone to start ordering free prints. Users can select photos from their phone gallery, Facebook, Instagram accounts, or other social media accounts.
How FreePrints Works
Before looking at how FreePrints make their money, it’s helpful to know what they offer. The basic deal is simple: you get up to 45 4×6 photo prints per month completely free. You don’t need any subscription, and there’s no commitment. The catch? You pay for shipping fees and any extras you might want.
When users order their free photos, they don’t need to worry about hidden costs or subscriptions. The basic 4×6 prints are truly free. This is where we start to see the clever way FreePrints make money.
How Do FreePrints Make Money?
The FreePrints business model relies on several income streams that work together. We’ve looked into exactly how FreePrints works to generate profit:
Shipping Charges
The main way FreePrints make money is through shipping charges. While the prints themselves might be free, customers always pay a postage fee for delivery.
The shipping cost starts at around £1.49 for the UK and goes up based on your order size. There is a maximum delivery charge cap (usually around £3.99-£5.99 depending on your location), so even if you order all 45 of your monthly free prints, you’ll only pay up to a certain amount.
This is the primary answer to “how do FreePrints make their money” – they’ve calculated that enough customers will be happy to pay these reasonable shipping fees to get their photos in physical form.
Upselling Additional Products
Another big way FreePrints make money is by offering extras that customers can add to their orders:
When users want larger sizes or better quality, they need to pay extra. Many people who start with free prints end up buying these premium offers, creating additional revenue for the company.
Some popular upsells include different sizes beyond the standard 4×6 prints, premium features like deluxe glossy finishes, photo books and albums, and personalized gifts featuring your photos.
Volume Business
The FreePrints model works because they operate on volume. By attracting millions of users with the promise of free services, they make sure enough people will pay the shipping charges, order more than just the free items, and return regularly to use up their monthly allowance of free prints.
This high-volume approach helps FreePrints make money while keeping individual costs low cost for users. It’s a classic example of how free services can lead to a profitable business when done right.
Premium Services That Generate Revenue
Beyond the basic FreePrints app, the company has expanded to offer several premium apps that further explain how do FreePrints make money:
FreePrints Photobooks gives you free pages each month to create photo books (you pay for shipping and extras).
FreePrints Cards lets you design greeting cards with some free each month.
FreePrints Tiles offers adhesive photo tiles with one free tile per month.
Each of these services follows the same model: offer something free to attract users, then charge for shipping and premium services.
Benefits For Customers
While we’ve focused on how FreePrints make money, we should mention the good points for customers too:
It’s easy to get physical prints without buying a photo printer. You can turn digital memories into things you can actually hold and touch. Plus, it’s perfect for sharing photos with family members who prefer physical form over digital images.
The company has found a sweet spot where both they and their users get value. Customers get some things for free and pay reasonable prices for others, while the company makes enough money to stay profitable.
Overall
FreePrints make money through a clever freemium model that balances free offerings with paid services. By charging for shipping fees, offering premium features, and encouraging regular usage, they’ve created a sustainable business that keeps both customers and the company happy.
The next time someone asks you “how do FreePrints make their money”, you can explain that it’s not really a mystery – they simply charge for certain aspects of the service while giving away others to attract users. This model has proven successful enough that many other businesses now try to copy it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many free prints can I get each month from FreePrints?
You can get up to 45 free 4×6 photo prints each month through the FreePrints app.
Is there a catch to FreePrints’ free photo offer?
The main catch is that you always pay for shipping, and if you want additional sizes or premium features, you’ll need to pay extra for those too.
Do FreePrints make money from ads?
While some free apps rely heavily on advertising revenue, FreePrints primarily makes money from shipping charges and premium service upsells rather than ads.
What’s the maximum I’ll pay for shipping with FreePrints?
There’s typically a maximum delivery charge cap of around £3.99-£5.99 (depending on your location), so even if you order all 45 free prints, your shipping cost won’t exceed this amount.
Can I get free delivery with FreePrints?
No, shipping is never free with FreePrints – this is a key part of how they make money while offering free prints.
Does FreePrints ensure high quality prints?
The standard free prints are decent quality, but if you want premium print quality like deluxe glossy finishes, you’ll need to pay extra for these options.
